The City of Fernley issued an emergency water conservation notice Tuesday, Nov. 3, after a computer control system failure shut down the city's Drinking Water Treatment Facility, interrupting production of treated drinking water.
An emergency notification also issued through the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office app distributed shortly before noon described a "critical water supply shortage" and directed residents to immediately stop outdoor watering and reduce indoor consumption.
The initial announcement offered little explanation for the emergency, prompting questions from residents about the city's water supply.
A subsequent press release attributed the problem to a failure within the treatment facility's computer control systems.
City Councilman Ryan Hanan provided additional information Tuesday afternoon, explaining that the plant's primary computer control system and its redundant backup system were both offline.
The facility relies on automated controls to operate and cannot simply switch to manual operation to resume treating water, Hanan said.
He described the problem as a network issue affecting the systems responsible for operating the plant. Technicians were working to restore the systems and resume production.
The city stated that there was no evidence of a cyberattack.
Despite the interruption, officials emphasized that the water currently being supplied to residents remains safe for normal consumption at this time. The city has not issued a boil-water notice.
"The drinking water is safe and remains in compliance," the city's second announcement stated.
The conservation measures are intended to reduce demand on the city's existing treated-water supply while repairs are underway.
Residents have been directed to stop watering lawns and landscaping, washing vehicles at home and using hoses to clean driveways or sidewalks.
For indoor conservation, the city is asking residents to limit showers to less than five minutes, run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads, repair leaks and turn off faucets when water is not needed.
Hanan also recommended that households set aside a modest amount of drinking water, such as a gallon or two in clean containers, as a precaution should the situation continue.
He emphasized that residents should conserve rather than stockpile water.
As of Tuesday afternoon, officials had not announced when the treatment facility would resume production or when the conservation restrictions might be lifted.
The city's initial notification and subsequent explanation did not identify the specific equipment or software failure responsible for the shutdown.
Residents should continue following official city updates as conditions change.
Visible water leaks or water waste in public areas can be reported to the City of Fernley Utility Department at 775-784-9930.
The Fernley Reporter will continue following the incident and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
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